Fire observer demographics and statistics in the US
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Fire observer demographics by:
Fire observer gender statistics
1.7% of fire observers are women and 98.3% of fire observers are men.
- Male, 98.3%
- Female, 1.7%
Fire observer gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 98.3% |
| Female | 1.7% |
Fire observer gender pay gap
Women earn 96¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$52,757
Female income
$50,746
Fire observer gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in fire observer positions over time. Currently, 1.7% of fire observers are female.
Fire observer gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 98.27% | 1.73% |
| 2011 | 98.00% | 2.00% |
| 2012 | 98.47% | 1.53% |
| 2013 | 98.36% | 1.64% |
| 2014 | 97.78% | 2.22% |
| 2015 | 98.21% | 1.79% |
| 2016 | 98.49% | 1.51% |
| 2017 | 97.41% | 2.59% |
| 2018 | 97.89% | 2.11% |
| 2019 | 97.36% | 2.64% |
| 2020 | 97.16% | 2.84% |
| 2021 | 98.32% | 1.68% |
Fire observer related jobs gender ratio
We compared fire observers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, fire observer and cannon fire direction specialist have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Prevention Specialist | 33% | 67% |
| Driver Engineer | 96% | 4% |
| Cannon Fire Direction Specialist | 96% | 4% |
| Fire Observer | 98% | 2% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Fire observer demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among fire observers is White, which makes up 71.9% of all fire observers. Comparatively, 11.6% of fire observers are Hispanic or Latino and 7.4% of fire observers are Unknown.
- White, 71.9%
- Hispanic or Latino, 11.6%
- Unknown, 7.4%
- Black or African American, 5.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.2%
- Asian, 1.2%
Fire observer race
| Fire observer race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 71.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 11.6% |
| Unknown | 7.4% |
| Black or African American | 5.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 2.2% |
| Asian | 1.2% |
Fire observer race and ethnicity over time
See how fire observer racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Fire observer race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 73.67% | 12.17% | 1.48% | 11.07% |
| 2011 | 79.95% | 7.76% | 1.09% | 7.84% |
| 2012 | 76.16% | 10.10% | 0.61% | 9.32% |
| 2013 | 78.92% | 6.23% | 1.57% | 11.58% |
| 2014 | 75.71% | 5.91% | 2.15% | 12.04% |
| 2015 | 69.94% | 7.45% | 2.53% | 15.88% |
| 2016 | 72.33% | 9.72% | 2.14% | 12.39% |
| 2017 | 74.09% | 10.50% | 1.90% | 11.07% |
| 2018 | 78.43% | 7.52% | 0.88% | 9.86% |
| 2019 | 70.87% | 7.44% | 2.49% | 16.58% |
| 2020 | 73.69% | 5.73% | 6.37% | 9.76% |
| 2021 | 71.95% | 5.74% | 1.18% | 11.58% |
Fire observer wage gap by race
According to our data, asian fire observers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american fire observers have the lowest average salary at $52,025.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $52,592 |
| White | $53,056 |
| Black or African American | $52,025 |
| Asian | $53,090 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $53,030 |
Average fire observer age
See how the average age of fire observers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Fire observer age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 49 | |
| White | 49 | 47 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 49 |
Fire observer age breakdown
The average age of fire observers is 40+ years years old, representing 80% of the fire observer population.
Fire observer age breakdown
| Fire Observer Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 80% |
| 30-40 years | 19% |
| 20-30 years | 1% |
Fire observer educational attainment
The most common degree for fire observers is bachelor's degree, with 48% of fire observers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 23% and associate degree degree at 18%.
- Bachelor's, 48%
- Associate, 23%
- High School Diploma, 18%
- Master's, 5%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Fire observers by degree level
| Fire observer degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 48% |
| Associate | 23% |
| High School Diploma | 18% |
| Master's | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Fire observer jobs you might like
Fire observer wage gap by degree level
According to the data, fire observers with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $54,465 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, fire observers earn a median annual income of $53,799 compared to $50,460 for fire observers with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $50,460 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $53,799 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $54,465 |
Fire observer employment statistics
Company size where fire observers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where fire observers work.
Fire observer jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 14% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 21% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 43% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 7% |
| > 10,000 employees | 14% |
Fire observer turnover and employment statistics
Fire observer unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for fire observers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Fire observer unemployment rate by year
| Year | Fire observer unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 6.76% |
| 2011 | 8.87% |
| 2012 | 8.14% |
| 2013 | 3.13% |
| 2014 | 2.80% |
| 2015 | 4.76% |
| 2016 | 3.27% |
| 2017 | 2.99% |
| 2018 | 2.40% |
| 2019 | 2.24% |
| 2020 | 1.57% |
| 2021 | 1.85% |
Average fire observer tenure
The average fire observer stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 139 fire observers resumes in Zippia's database.
Fire observer tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 15% |
| 1-2 years | 30% |
| 3-4 years | 32% |
| 5-7 years | 13% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 7% |
Fire observer LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of fire observers that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Fire Fighter | 4.66% | 13,939 |
| Monitor | 5.54% | 5,558 |
| Lifeguard/Swim Instructor | 5.88% | 27,819 |
| Lead Security Officer | 6.63% | 114,945 |
| Correctional Sergeant | 8.48% | 72,839 |
| Security Screener | 9.37% | 45,041 |
| Fire Observer | 18.40% | - |
Similar fire observer jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Fire Fighter | 4.66% | 13,939 |
| Monitor | 5.54% | 5,558 |
| Lifeguard/Swim Instructor | 5.88% | 27,819 |
| Lead Security Officer | 6.63% | 114,945 |
| Correctional Sergeant | 8.48% | 72,839 |
| Security Screener | 9.37% | 45,041 |
Foreign languages spoken by fire observers
The most common foreign language among fire observers is German at 25.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Arabic at 25.0% and Dari is the third-most popular at 25.0%.
- German, 25.0%
- Arabic, 25.0%
- Dari, 25.0%
- French, 25.0%
Fire observer languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| German | 25.0% |
| Arabic | 25.0% |
| Dari | 25.0% |
| French | 25.0% |